Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-11-02

BY JOHN r. MUSiCk.
lCoPYm0ur, iss6 nv TuE A. N. KELLOGG
NEWSPAPER CONFANYl
CHAPTER WIN.
STRANGER AT nUsuvtLLE.
The quiet. unprctentious little vii.
age OF Bushvillc was thrown into n
huttcr Of excitement over the arrival of
stranger. llo was n man between
Gforty-ijvG and iiity years Of age, qui,t
aud unassum.ug, making no acquaint-
anccs. aud with no apparent business.
lie was occasionally seen in cOnsultl-
ton with Mr.. Smallwccd. the village
banker. and Mr.. Elias Bolts, an at
torncy at law. Various were tie
spccu,Jtio1s asto who nc was. and what
he was Some said be wa, an English
noblcman travelling incoguito; others
that me was "a E,s:,rn capitalist who
had cOr1e o=t West with the intention
Of es.'l -..rn mandatory Every
clifton ot Nashville was ready to advO-
cate tho manufacturing qualities of the
town. A Western town is n good
point for manufacturing; but some
how Eastern capitalists can not be
made to see their advantages
Dave Black. the merchant, was con-
suited frequently. but he could only
advance his theory. Dave Black was
about forty years of age. and like all
village merchants was regarded rs a
walking newspaper, n philosopher AMI
dissemination Of knowledge to all the
country round.
"Do We know who he l., Dave?"
asked Bill Martin, as he stood leaning
one elbow on the counter.
What do ye mean?" asked the mer-
chant.
"Why, the stranger whats stoppin'
at Brcwstcr's tavern
awe got my theory
"Wei, what's Yer theory. Davc?'
1--WE can tsay we know any thing fur
certain, yo know
go, yes. but who j. hep"
81 don't know; ho hasn't told any
z one his name, yc know
well, what's his business?"
Eve only gotta suspicion rs to that"
''What is your suspicionP'
"Ho is one of two things"
''What are thcy2'
"Hc Is either rich millionaire, lots
o. money, who is prospectin' around
an goin' 20 do a big business here, or
he's a detective after some poor cuss or
other"
Bill started as II a new idea, and one
not altogether pleasant, had struck
him.
"a detective he said, recovering
himself Immediately. "What business
dO you suppose n detective can have
here? who's no afterP'
emo one j. suppose 10 know that.
Them chaps usually keep their secrets
To- themselves. May be YOU could think
Of some one In your own neighbOrhood
who comes in under suspicious circum-
stances, said Dave.
Don't know any onr." answered
Bill, somewhat puzzled. Then bright
cning up i'm moment, he added:
"But thar is one Teller in our section
regarded Us ruther suspicious
"Who Is hep
"waltcr Brownrcld he calls him
self, an no works for Jim Miles,
Where's he from?"
Queenstown, / hurd."
GLOW long SINGER"
about month ago
'D'ye know what business he was in
thereP"
"Clerking I'm Joe Brewstcr's store, l
heerd."
''ln Joe Brcwstcr's store! Well, /
know Joe Brewster very well, an il
the Teller is n runaway he tell me all
about it,
"If ye'd write to him he might in
I'm do it. I'll write this very day
"But say, Dave?"
"Well, Bill, what is itp'
aIl,p'f at-nr hint 1Iat cod a tvn,.,I
bout it, We know. I'm poor workin'
any teller wrong, or make any enc
mics.
II understand you, Bill, and I'll not
mention your name in the affair ut all. y
AS Bill walked away the merchant
soliloquizcd with himself.
"Jim Miles is an old customer of
mine. and if he is harboring thief and
| find il out l shall make it my business
to tell him."
Bill Martin strollcd about the streets
until he met Jack Hawkins.
"IIev We hecrd about the stranger,
JackP" he asked.
THE old fellSr what's q stoppin' at
Brcwstcr'sP'
1.-The same"
Yes
"well what hev ye hoord bout
himP"
"Somc say he's a forty-niner from
California, returned with n heap o
money in gold coin and dust" said
Jack Hawkins.
''And some say he's detective sent
to hunt some one out" added Bill.
''Who dye think he'd be- after?"
asked Jack. Bill looked at his COM
panion with n knowing grin and sail:
''lt might be that he's come to make
us trouble, Jack"
Nonsense, Bill, yer gittin' nervous. "
But l tell ye, Jack. one term at the
pen 'ud make anybody nervous
eve made up my mind with an
air OF braggadOcio ''never TO serve i'm
tho pen; when the officers of the law
take me IL III bc when I'm dead"
The two men were sitting on an IN
turned wagon box that lay in an OF n
lot i'm the rear of tho. blacksmith shop.
There was no ono within ear-shot and
they spoke in low tones. SO rs not To
bo overheard.
It was Saturday, aud many Of the
people from Preston Fiat were i'm Bush.
Vile, either making purchases for the
coming week, or spending holiday
The one theme Of gossip by all was "a,
stranger. Tho two Unlocking MI
who were sitting on the wagon-boX IN
the open lot had a fair view of the tav
crn. They saw n rather stout gentle
man. forty-liyo or fifty years OF age
yet with n robust frame, come from g.,
house and stand upon the low porch
He was smOOth-Shaven, with hi,
forehead. gray eyes and benevolcn
expression ON his face.
THAT'S him." said Jack.
s.DO You know himP" asked Bill
81 do
'.Who Is he? What Is hep"